Loras

I think that technically this episode was poor in places. What on earth was going on with the lighting of that final Dragonstone scene, that was just atrocious! It was as though Nutter had paid no attention to how that set had been lit previously - lots of cold, grey daylight. One of the things I loved about the show was the lighting of the various locations, so I really picked up on this. Overal I voted a 9/10 for this episode. Liam Cunningham was great as Davos. The Dragonstone scenes were a real highlight for me. Loved Arya and the Freys. I also liked the Dany scene at the end, while cheesy, there was some fantastic acting. I would have liked something supernatural at the end of the episode, but then I am a stickler for a pattern.

I gave this episode a 9/10. I loved the whole sequence on Dragonstone, barring that scene in Episode 3, the Dragonstone storyline has been consistently good for the entire season. I particularly loved the scene between Stannis and Davos in the dungeon, everything about that scene was masterfully done. I really like how they are playing Davos as the Jiminy Cricket to Stannis' Pinnochio. Once again, another fantastic set of scenes featuring Daenerys. Emilia Clarke is evolving in the role, there is certainly something reptilian about her performance this season that I am really enjoying. I also liked the toned down version of Daario - though I do wonder whether simplifying this aspect of the story could cause headaches down the line. I enjoyed the additional scene with Daario and the second sons, but I think the theories here are built around some lazy dialogue (every D+D episode has one particular phrase that gets repeated in different places - or so it seems). KL was fantastic as usual. It was nice to see almost all of our regular players down there being featured. Though this season is seriously lacking Varys. I really like where they are taking Cersei this season, but I think that due to her reduced screentime, that the casual viewer will not have been paying attention to Cersei's increasing paranoia. My big problem with this episode is really the choice of scenes to include. Why not have Sam the Slayer and Osha's monologue in the same episode? It seems quite tacked on to have included this scene at the end of this episode. Also where on earth is Catelyn Stark, I really thought that S3 would be 'her' season but so far she has appeared for what... 20 minutes?

I thought that this was an excellent episode. I gave it a 9. I really enjoyed the Jon Snow storyline. It is nice to see the story developing. I could maybe have done without Orell's crush on Ygritte, but it was nice to give the character some motivation. I am beginning to subscribe to the Iceland theory. Let's hope they don't go back there next year! I also liked Osha's expanding backstory, though I can't help but feel it would... . Some excellent scenes! Michelle MacLaren did a great job. I loved the closing shot of the bear pit and Mel's boat from above.

Overall I rated this episode as an 8. I think that the biggest problem that I had with the episode was the scene ordering. I don't think that I will ever understand why the episode started with a Sam scene (that really didn't go anywhere other than to show off the Dragonglass) followed by a Bran scene that didn't achieve that much either. By starting with those two incredibly slow scenes, the episode lost an awful lot of momentum right from the get go. The rest of the episode was good. I loved the Jon sequences and felt that his story has now had some much needed development. I also loved the Varys/Littlefinger scene leading into the montage. The only scene that I thought was dreadful was the Sansa/Loras scene. Though the direction, with their reflections in the pond, made up for the atrocious dialogue.

I really enjoyed this episode and rated it a 9/10. I really loved Kerry Ingram and Tara Fitzgerald. It was really nice to finally see Shireen - poor little lamb. The scene between Shireen/Stannis and Shireen/Davos were really brilliant. The 'Patchface' song was great too. I marked this episode down one point because I felt that the KL sequence that closed the episode was very choppy. It seemed like the scenes had been trimmed down too much to fit in the Daenerys material that wasn't originally going to be in the episode. Otherwise great!

I agree with this. The way that he handles Edmure in the last episode is a prime example of how arrogant he is. Particularly the last line: "I would have told you at this gathering if you had just been patient." Alright Robb... I'll just sit on my hands and wait for you while Lannister forces are camped across the river from me. (I am an Edmure fan though, so I am totally biased)

I gave this episode a 10. Alex Graves' direction was just phenomenal in this episode. From the framing of the shots in the tunnel to the beautiful cave shots. I was just so impressed. Alfie Allen was a standout for me in this episode. I really enjoyed him relating the story of what actually happened at Winterfell. His performance was incredibly raw and moving. Also a shout out to Gwendoline Christie. She was a revelation in this episode. I actually rather enjoyed the Ros/Varys scene. So much to like in this episode. I could have done without the shovelling shit section. I am also pleasantly surprised by how little Littlefinger there has been so far this season.

I gave the episode a 9/10. The positives: - Riverrun: Just a series of wonderful scenes, I really enjoyed them all. I also wish that there was an establishing shot of Riverrun. Michelle Fairley is just wonderful! I also really enjoyed Edmure. (Though I did glimpse Riverrun behind Edmure in the opening scene). - The Theon chase was beautifully shot. - Musical chairs was brilliant. The negatives: - Pod and the whores. The Meereenese knot was particularly creepy looking. - Aiden Gillen continues to disappoint. - Repition in the dialogue: twat, 'the world' as opposed to seven kingdoms etc.

I voted 8/10 again, though I do think that this episode was slightly better than Episode 1. The Good: * The opening: I think this could be the greatest opening scene in the series yet. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I loved Jojen's introduction and the throwback to the pilot episode. Very well done. * The Tyrells: Continue to be great. Diana Rigg and Natalie Dormer are doing an excellent job cementing the Tyrell's as fan favourites. My non-book friends love both of the characters. * Michelle Fairley: A joy to watch. I actually enjoyed that monologue for what it was. It makes sense to the character of Show!Catelyn. The Bad: * Daniel Minahan: I am really disappointed with him as a director for the second week in a row. The action sequence was once again very poor. His shots during the second Theon scene was a complete mess. Is the man obsessed with mirrors? Almost all of the scenes in King's Landing included a character looking at themselves in the mirror! Clumsy and unimaginative. * Shoehorned Characters: I felt like too many scenes in this episode were forced into the plot without purpose. Both of the scenes beyond the Wall were poorly executed, in my opinion. And we have that scene with Tyrion and Shae which may have a pay off but I wasn't a huge fan.

The wee green scorpion-type thing in the little girl's wooden ball.

Yeah, I agree with you here. Davos' plan to kill Melisandre was always a bit rash and always a bit out of character. He has just been rescued from an island in the middle of the sea. He is delirious and has had a 'vision' (in the novels). I actually thought that the scene came across as Melisandre goading Davos to attack her. She was probably aware of his plans in the flames and used it to her advantage. Melisandre just used this as an opportunity to extend her influence over the king. Van Houten totally nailed it too.

It is a great title considering how well it linked all of the stories within the episode.

I thought you would be glad to call something else a cop out :P - I jest ;) My review of the episode... I rated it an 8 out of 10 with my biggest problems being the direction (I really don't like Daniel Minahan as a director) and the order of scenes - surely Tyrion/Tywin should have been the climax of the King's Landing plot? _____________________________________________________ Has there ever been a title so apt for an episode of “Game of Thrones”? The season premiere is titled ‘Valar Doeheris’ which when translated from Valyrian, reads ‘All men must serve’. The theme carried through from the title touches on all of the major stories running through this episode. ‘Valar Doeheris’ is a beautifully produced episode of the show – but it does not come without flaws. The Opening Sequence: Every year, part of the joy of “Thrones” is the opening sequence. I am always excited to see how the steam punk map will reflect my own images of the cities and castles that inhabit Westeros and beyond. Last year I was bitterly disappointed with their rendering of Qarth – which was lifeless and uninspired (I guess it reflected that particular storyline well). This year, my worries have been put to rest. The camera drops down onto the burning ruins of Winterfell – which is in itself a poignant reminder of the events that unfolded in last season’s finale. After that we are treated to a stunning representation of Astapor... complete with Harpy statue. Beautiful. Imposing. I want to get there right now! What I liked: Beyond the Wall: It is not often that I have praise for the ”Jon Snow” storyline, but it looks like things are about to change. The Wildling camp was a beautiful thing to behold (although it seems to have snowed a great deal in the time it has taken them to climb down that cliff), Gemma Jackson is a genius – and it was completed by a CGI Giant. I really enjoy the character of Ygritte, especially now that she has been raised from inconsequential talk of stones, bones and handjobs. Rose Leslie captures the spearwife perfectly and I cannot help but be drawn to her when she is on screen. Going into this episode I was concerned about Hinds in the role of Mance, but he blew me away. He wasn’t Caesar beyond the Wall – but a charismatic, clearly intelligent leader of men. He has captured the nuance of Mance extremely well in his limited screentime and I look forward to seeing his work going forward. Similarly Tormund was well played by Hivju, seems to have been born to play the role. While this Tormund might be grimmer than his larger-than-life book counterpart, I enjoyed his introduction and I love referring to Jon as “baby crow”. Perhaps there is an engaging Jon storyline on the cards... fingers crossed. Astapor: The shot of Daenerys Targaryen looking over the prow of her boat to the Slaver city of Astapor must be one of the most beautiful shots of the series to date. The colours of the shot were outstanding, credit must go to Minahan (though there will be more on him later). Again, there seems to have been course correction here from the poor ”Daenerys Targaryen” storyline in season 2. It was lovely to hear Astapori Valyrian, another wonderful language from David Peterson. Though I am not sure whether the casual viewer would be aware of Daenerys’ understanding. The final section of the episode was wonderful, if somewhat predictable. The manticore was more great CGI and the score to Barristan’s reveal was epic. King’s Landing: Oh how I love King’s Landing and this episode is no different. I found every scene, other than Bronn’s pointless brothel scene and having to endure Aiden Gillen’s Littlefinger on screen, captivating. Natalie Dormer really brought her A-game as Margaery. I think that this is one of the benefits to having introduced her in the second season. We already know what she is about but this episode added a tonne of flesh to those bones. Charles Dance and Peter Dinklage gave me goosebumps during that confrontation scene. Another wonderful piece of acting. I am enjoying the less confident Tyrion following the battle. I look forward to all of their other scenes to come. All the small things: This episode was brimming with moments that made my heart soar. I loved the small conversation between Roose Bolton and Rickard Karstark, where Roose promises revenge for his sons’ deaths. I love how the scornful look of the Northmen forced Robb to find a cell for his mother. I loved Talisa’s brief appearance (though did anyone else notice that Oona’s sigil in the credits is two circling lions...). I loved Davos’ rock and Sallador Saan. I loved all of the establishing shots – King’s Landing from the Blackwater and Astapor from Dany’s ships. What I didn’t like: So I guess you must be wondering what I didn’t like about the episode? Well there are two things: direction and structure. Direction: I have already mentioned that I thought that Minahan has some moments of brilliance in this episode; the way that he captures Astapor is beautiful and the framing of Margaery speaking to the septa from within Joffrey’s litter is a touch of genius. Yet he also has his flaws as a director – in the first season he butchered one of my favourite scenes from the novels (Ned confessing to Cersei) so perhaps I hold a grudge. Minahan seems to really struggle to direct action sequences. Minahan directed three episodes in season one: ‘A Golden Crown’, ‘You Win or You Die’ and ‘The Pointy End’. I have always thought that he struggles with action, particularly in the GRRM penned ‘The Pointy End’. His framing of Arya killing the stable boy is (for me) the worst moment of the entire show so far, it took me completely out of the scene. He also seemed to struggle with the Wight attacking Mormont at Castle Black. He seems to get quite glitchy during these scenes – and cuts about all over the place. We see this style of direction again in this episode and it pulls the viewer out of both the cold open and the episode’s climax. When Sam is running through the snow we are treated to this dark, foreboding snow storm – we know why he is running and we are willing him to be ok. Then he is attacked by the wight and the camera jumps all over the place. It is a mess. Dragging us out of the horror of the scene while the director plays with camera angles. Then the wight is suddenly set on fire... great... and Mormont is standing right beside it?! The direction is really poor, which leads me to be disappointed in the cold open. The action at the end is equally poor and choppy. I hope the idea for Barristan wearing that ridiculous cloak to attempt a classic bait and switch was not his idea. This would have involved that Barristan and not the little girl was the assassin. Anyway, the fight with the manticore was just messy – sloppy even – direction. We hardly see Dany get pushed for a start. Again it drags you away from the action and the importance of the sequence. I sincerely hope that Minahan does not have much action to direct in the next episode. He just needs to leave the camera alone. Pick an angle and stick to it. Rant over – until next week I imagine.

That is a really interesting theory. I guess then that Euron was expecting Victarion to betray him and blow the horn himself. I doubt that Moquorro would be interested in allowing he dragons to be bound to Euron, and has suggested three other men to take the place of the warlocks? I really like this theory.

The only real moment would be Coldhands rescuing Sam and Gilly from the wights. I have this awful feeling that the Shavepate will betray Barristan and will have been working for the Harpy all along. When the horn sounds, the army retreats only for the gates of Meereen to be barred and the dragons loosed.

Thanks Azador for your summaries, listening to George tell the tale must have been epic. I wouldn't get your hopes up regarding Stark chapters. Martin seems to have been very careful so far to not release chapters which answer the 'cliffhanger questions' left at the end of "A Dance with Dragons". Theon I is clearly set before the Pink Letter. Arianne I and Arianne II - don't reveal anything particularly new regarding Aegon's invasion. We already knew from ADWD that he had conquered a number of castles in the Stormlands. Barristan I, Barristan II, Tyrion I and Victarion I - we knew that these characters were going to converge in the Battle of Fire and the chapters certainly do not reveal too much about what will happen there. Ie. they all occur prior to the game changing (we assume) moment where the dragonhorn gets blown. - All of the chapters that have been released so far sound epic and make me really excited for the book proper but none of them cover the cliffhangers of ADWD - which is a good thing. I wouldn't expect to hear from Daenerys, Davos, Jon, Melisandre, Jon Connington, Cersei, Jaime, Brienne, Arya or Bran before the book comes out. I'm still holding out hope that Sansa is the chapter in the back of the US paperback!

I think Aiden Gillen must have the best agent on the show! How on earth does he get to appear in every episode when more central characters miss episodes? I bet he appears in Highgarden next week! Too much Littlefinger! Other than that, this was a fantastic episode!

I am going to give this episode an 8/10. I thought that the episode was great with a number of excellent character building scenes but was still setting up the core of the season. The Good: I loved the subtle handling of some of the characters in this episode. A particular stand out for me was building Sam’s character. He was a thinly drawn character in the first season, a sidekick for Jon Snow who gave him advice but here for the first time he gets an opportunity to shine. I love what Jon Bradley does with the character and I enjoy the changes that D&D have made (particularly in reference to girls). The moment that Gilly called Sam brave was one of those few heart warming episodes that reminds us that this world is very human. I also challenge those people struggling with the adaptation to knock the way that Sam is portrayed. A second example is the relationship between Davos and Stannis. The scene where Davos and Matthos are discussing religion and gods is fantastic. This small scene has done wonders for the entire Dragonstone storyline and I feel now as though I understand the respect that Davos has for his King. Liam Cunningham is hitting it out of the park with the role of Davos! The entire Arya arc in this episode was a joy to watch unfolding on the screen. At first I was concerned that there would be little payoff to the cliffhanger from “The North Remembers”, but again this story was filled with nuance and all of the actors involved were brilliant. The scene with Yoren and the Goldcloaks was also a touch of class and I look forward to seeing where this story will go from here. King’s Landing was stellar once again, Peter Dinklage continues to impress as Tyrion Lannister, I could rave about those scenes all day! The Brothel scene was a stroke of genius in my opinion. The writers really show two things with this scene; the first is another window into the character of Petyr Baelish. We know now how Petyr rose so high in court, he is ruthless and manipulative, it was good to see another facet of the character. The second aspect showed how some of the common people feel about the way that the Gold Cloaks massacre of the bastards is affecting public opinion. Much better that the previous Littlefinger-Ros scene. The Bad: I am missing Catelyn this season. I noticed in the discussions of the previous episode that people were complaining that Ros has had more screentime than Dany? Well what about Catelyn?! I am looking forward to catching up on her story soon. Overall I feel that this episode continues to set up the rest of the season’s arc, but I thought that the montage at the end of “The North Remembers” would kickstart the season in a similar way to the final scene of “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”, but I was wrong. This was a slower episode that builds up the fantastic characters of the series, adding more layers to each of them. The end of the episode fell flat for me, but I am looking forward to seeing where we go from here...!

i really enjoyed the episode, giving it 8/10. I think if I were writing it I would have cut Jon's story from the episode. I felt as though that portion of the episode really needed time to breathe. Nothing was achieved and the scene between Jon and Mormont seemed as though it was disguised exposition. More time could have been spent establishing Dragonstone (I agree with those who wish it had been the first scene). The King's Landing scenes were a master class - beautifully shot, scripted and acted. As were the scenes in Robb's camp. I really liked Ros' whorehouse scene, it was an excellent bait and switch! That final sequence with Robert's bastards was excellent, some of the best scenes from the series so far! I got the same feeling from the end of this episode that I got at the end of 'Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things' - its all about to kick off!

I gave this episode a 9. Mark Addy was brilliant as Robert, his final scene really stole the show for me. There is so much depth to the friendship between Eddard and Robert and I got it in that scene. It was excellent. I enjoyed his interaction with Joff too, which was all too rare in the book. Addy's performance had such a strong sense of regret to it. Also outstanding was the writing for Cersei, Headey has impressed me in nearly every scene and this week was no different. The confrontation in the Gods Wood was beautifully done, she really captured the Cersei from the novels in that moment. As well as the scene in the Throne room, which was wonderfully executed, that is until it came to the action section where the whole thing went a bit flat. Props too to the actors behind Ser Barristan and Renly, excellent work in their scenes. The downside for me in this episode was the scenes set at the Wall - particularly the Night's Watch vows. I found them to be flat and very monotone, when reading the books I found the vows stirring and inspiring, though there was none of that here.

8/10 I enjoyed this episode, but it didn't quite have the magic of last week's installment. The highpoints for me this episode were in the Danaerys storyline. While I still think Emilia Clarke needs to grow into the role, she had some excellent moments tonight. My favourite scene was the horse heart scene, beautifully realised. Harry Lloyd also did a wonderful job with Viserys' final episode. I am going to miss him, but I am ready for the change of focus in Dany's story as we amp up towards the finale. One thing that bugged me with this episode was the lighting - in the hunting scene and the Sansa/Joff scene particularly.

I loved this episode, rated it a 9/10 - my highest rating so far. I actually really liked the departures from the book! Renly being afraid of blood was quite a nice nuance to his character and I felt it put his relationship with Loras on a more even keel than the way I felt it was portrayed in the book. I think that this will have a good pay off further down the line, and is nice set up for what transpires in the next few episodes. The other departure that I love is the redefined relationship between Cersei and Robert, the fact that they had a son which died - I'm happy that I called Cersei being sincere in the Episode 2 thread. The scene between them had been hyped a great deal in the media, but for me it really payed off with Cersei gaining a greater depth than she does in the book. The Eyrie was beautiful! The set designers on the series have done such an excellent job of giving each location its own distinct feeling and the Eyrie may be my favourite so far. Although I am intrigued by the moon door and how that part of the story will play out. The new title sequence showing the Eyrie was great! I think next week is going to be a riot with the scenes set in this location! Jory's death was horrific :(! I didn't feel the same emotional connection to it as I did in the book though, I'd have loved to see Ned crawl over to the body as the final image. Ser Barristan continues to impress, what excellent casting! His scene with Ned at the beginning of the episode was another stand out in an episode full of stand outs. I wish that Sansa had been developed further in this episode, an opportunity missed I think. The actor playing Bran is doing a fantastic job, but the character is starting to grate on me. Finally, a note on the fantastic chemistry between Gillen and Hill - I'm looking forward to their interactions SO much as the series continues.

I rated this one an 8 - although it would have been an 8.5, I'm rounding down because I think that everything is about to step up a gear in the next episodes and I want to save my 9s and 10s. This episode finally managed to make all the stories fit into one episode without any of them feeling rushed or disjointed. It allowed room for breathing space in the plots, particularly at the Wall where we begin to understand what drives Jon Snow and once again he shows a range of emotion rather than sullen and forelorn. An excellent scene between Sam and Jon while they cleaned the table was slightly ruined by clunky dialogue about Jon's surname, but these two actors have chemistry and the potential for the relationship in future episodes is exciting. Cogman had a really difficult job with this episode, maybe the most difficult of all the episodes in the first season. He had to move all of the pieces to a point where the main storylines reach a precipice, so whether that be setting up or developing a conflict (in the case of Jon and Dany) or CSI King's Landing, adding depth to the capital storyline and layers to the players there. I loved how the conflict between the Hound and the Mountain was set up! His dialogue was frequently brilliant, his new scene with Theon and Tyrion for example, but sometimes poorly executed, "What is my name?"... but he has done the job of the episode! Finally we have the scene which pushes the pieces off the precipice. Michelle Fairley really acted the hell out of that scene, I am loving what she is doing with Catelyn! Roll on the next episode, hopefully Fairley and Dinklage duking it out will be the major thread of the episode!

7/10 Dropped marks for the Dany scenes; which I felt were poorly developed from Episode 1. I thought there could have been greater focus on the Lannister Twins after the close of episode 1. I found the introduction of secondary characters a bit lame (Payne, The Hound, Doreah) . Other than that, a nice episode. It felt very much like the second hour of a 2 hour premiere. Now the story really starts :)

Thank you Werthead, for another fantastic thread and resource!